Specific challenge: By 2020 full implementation of the EU product efficiency legislation should be one of the most important contributions to the EU energy efficiency target. The Ecodesign Directive alone should yield yearly savings of up to 600 TWh of electricity and 600 TWh of heat in 2020, as well as net savings for European consumers and businesses of €90 billion per year – 1% of EU’s current GDP – in year 2020 (meaning net savings of €280 per household per year)[1]. Previous initiatives have demonstrated the usefulness of market surveillance activities[2]. However to ensure full implementation of product efficiency legislation, it has also been proven that these activities should be improved.

Scope: Proposals should focus on building up the monitoring, verification and enforcement of the EU's energy-related products policy, in particular for those products that represent the highest energy saving potential (e.g. electric motors, water and space heating and cooling equipment, lighting). Proposals should support higher level of surveillance activities and go beyond product testing activities. They should not replace activities that are under the responsibility of Member States[3] but add European value to these activities (e.g. execution of joint activities, exchange of information, development of common methods, protocols or checklists, etc.). Actions must involve the relevant market surveillance authorities and consumers’ (or other end users') associations as appropriate, and demonstrate a high transnational added value.

The Commission considers that proposals requesting a contribution from the EU of between EUR 1.5 and 2 million would allow this specific challenge to be addressed appropriately. Nonetheless, this does not preclude submission and selection of proposals requesting other amounts.

Expected impact: for market surveillance proposals every million Euro of EU support is expected to generate savings of at least 15 GWh/year of energy losses avoided from non-compliance[4]. In addition, proposals should result in an increase of confidence among purchasers, manufacturers and retailers. They should also contribute to the enforcement of EU product legislation.